Watch: B-2 Bombers Pentagon Video From the Mission Striking Iran’s Nuclear Sites in 'Operation Midnight Hammer

The U.S. Department of Defense has released dramatic footage of B-2 Spirit stealth bombers returning to Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri following their precision strike on Iran's nuclear facilities under 'Operation Midnight Hammer.' The clip, first posted by defense tracker @sentdefender on X, captures the moment these flying fortresses departed and later touched down after a 37-hour combat mission - the second-longest B-2 operation since 2001's Afghanistan campaign.

The mission began at 12:01 am ET on June 21, with seven B-2 bombers rolling out of their fortified hangars and taking off into the night skies from Whiteman AFB. Each aircraft was manned by a two-person crew and was armed with GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs) - 30,000-pound bunker-buster bombs engineered to destroy hardened underground targets. Capable of penetrating up to 200 feet of earth or 60 feet of reinforced concrete, the MOPs were the ideal choice to neutralize Iran's most fortified nuclear infrastructure.

Target: Iran's Nuclear Triad

Now known to the world, the operation targeted Iran's three primary nuclear sites - Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan - all of which are heavily protected and strategically located. Fordow, buried under a mountain near Qom, was the first to be struck at around 2:10 am Iran time. The lead B-2 dropped two MOPs on Fordow, followed by successive drops by the remaining six bombers, unleashing 14 total bunker-busting bombs across two nuclear zones.

Precision Execution with Deception Tactics

Before entering Iranian airspace, the strike package linked with aerial refuellers and CENTCOM support units. The mission demanded exact coordination across multiple platforms, conducted under radio silence to avoid detection.

To ensure the success of the strike and confuse Iranian defenses, the U.S. deployed advanced deception tactics:

• Decoy aircraft mimicked strike patterns from alternate directions
• Electronic jammers disrupted enemy radar
• Fourth- and fifth-generation fighters flew ahead of the B-2s to flush out surface-to-air missile threats

Naval Firepower Joined the Operation

In a coordinated move, a U.S. Navy submarine in the region launched over two dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles targeting surface infrastructure and command-and-control nodes. The multi-domain assault ensured Iranian air defenses were overwhelmed, paving the way for the B-2s to drop their payloads with pinpoint accuracy.

The Return

After the successful strike, the B-2s flew back non-stop to the United States, landing safely at Whiteman Air Force Base. The mission, lasting 37 hours, showcased the endurance, stealth and reach of America's most advanced bomber - capable of operating across the globe without detection and with devastating precision.

Strategic Message

While U.S. officials stopped short of confirming the total destruction of Iran's uranium stockpiles, President Trump described the mission as a 'spectacular success.' The B-2 footage now serves as a powerful symbol of U.S. air dominance - and a reminder: you won't see the next one coming either, as quoted by the defence officials at the Pentagon.